The following description does not admit or imply that the method discussed below is citable as prior art or part of the general knowledge of a person skilled in the art in any particular country.
Hydrogen sulfide is a clear toxic gas with a foul odor. It is also highly flammable. The Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory agencies worldwide strictly control the release of hydrogen sulfide into the environment. Hydrogen sulfide is often present in well water, waste water, and other aqueous streams. Hydrogen sulfide may also be present in crude oil and natural gas reserves and must be removed before using.
Generally, hydrocarbon streams can be treated with chemical scavengers to remove sulfides. These chemicals are called scavengers or sweetening agents. These chemical scavengers include adducts produced through the reaction of secondary amines and aldehydes. These secondary amine-aldehyde adduct scavengers include triazines, oxazolidines, Schiff bases, diamines, methyol adducts, and methylene bridge materials.
US2010/0197968 discloses aldehyde-amine sulfur scavenging compositions prepared by contacting an amine containing component and an aldehyde containing component in the presence of an alcohol.
US2005/0153846 discloses sulfur scavengers including monomeric aldehyde-amine adducts from the reaction of at least one sterically hindered primary or secondary amine and a molar excess of at least one aldehyde.
What is needed is an improved sulfide scavenger for removing sulfides from fluid streams.